Ruminations on parenting, pedagogy, prayers, poetry and produce.

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The light has faded, along with its promise, and you, snuggled up under ocean covers – light deepening to purple, hiding the mysteries beneath – hopeful for a bedtime chat. Slats of morning march inevitably across the floor, and with arm flung across your face, you murmur: not quite yet. A mother’s litany grows as … Continue reading →

Today, I’m trying something new (for this blog): a video post! Very happy to welcome Cate, and have a conversation with her about Bullet Journals. Please feel free to comment below and let us know what you think!

Beauty will save the world. -Dostoevsky, The Idiot I read these words recently not in Dostoevsky, but in an article in Conversations Journal (no longer published, but its vol 14.2 if you are interested). The article was part of a whole issue entitled “Created to Create” (which has a beautiful array of pieces about art, beauty … Continue reading →

Katniss Everdeen: [to her baby] Did you have a nightmare? I have nightmares, too. Someday I’ll explain it to you, why they came, why they won’t ever go away, but I’ll tell you how I survive it. I make a list in my head… of all the good things I’ve seen someone do. Every little … Continue reading →

…finding your name written in the sand. …that moment of glaring beauty. …something unexpected (“my daughter just joined a ukelele band!”). …glimpses of the season. …the fragile things that dare to hope for something more.

The last few weeks, I’ve noticed a serious cobweb situation developing on our porch. I realize, of course, that we live (practically) in the woods, and a few spiders come with the territory. A few. But I’ve seen more than a few, and some of them have been big suckers. The other night, as I … Continue reading →

“I don’t know what to do about this.” “Sorry, what?” He looked up from his computer. “The situation with the kids? And that country song? Why can’t they just stick to lovesick crooning and runaway dogs and makin’ Momma proud?” I asked. “Uh…what seems to be the problem?” His computer was shut tight now, giving … Continue reading →

This was originally published on Plumfield Academy’s blog in January 2014. ———– Plumfield always takes a full two weeks off at Christmas and New Year’s. It’s a lovely practice that allows for families to travel or to snuggle up at home, doing whatever they want to celebrate the holidays, without the pressure of having to … Continue reading →

The eager cry of a child’s “Pick me!” has the power to stir anxiety as well as anticipation in the hearts of young and old alike. The scene that unfolded on the green hills at Plumfield a few weeks ago was no exception. The boy wiggled, his little body in constant motion. “Pick me! Pick … Continue reading →